Positive media coverage of prison volunteering marked Volunteer Awareness Week. A number of newspapers ran the above headline following a press release by Prison Fellowship of New Zealand (PFNZ).

The article drew attention to the high ratio of prison volunteers to prisoners in New Zealand – about 40 per cent – compared to other OECD countries. With a significant number of volunteers coming from churches, PFNZ National Director Kim Workman says this "negates the image of New Zealand Christians as being punitive, narrowly moralistic, and condemning in their attitude to prisoners."

The article also highlighted the role of the new Prison Volunteering Advisory Group in enhancing the relationship between Corrections and volunteer organisations.

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